This is the story of the journey of my life. Travel can be hard work. So much to see. So little time. So many missed connections. So much lost luggage. But every stop, every detour, every challenge along the way provides a lesson to be learned. Traveling mercies to us all.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

A recurring thought...

Actually, it's a recurring quote, one that I see every time I go to Wing Haven, and one that reminds me of the person I want to be and the way I want to live. So simple. So profound.

A few points of clarification - I would love to have an eternal friendship with raindrops, flowers, and the occasional snowflake. But insects? Not so much - unless they remain outside of a ten foot perimeter of my house.

I want to remain interested in everything - including tales of Daniel's friends' antics at school, dramatic accounts of boy trouble that Kristiana's friends seem to perpetually be in, Steve's recent obsession with Stephen Curry (who we think looks like what Daniel will look like in 8 or 9 years), as well as my growing inventory of books on spiritual formation, prayer, meditation, eating well, and how to clean my house with earth-friendly products. Not to mention the wonderful blogs and books written by the amazingly intriguing people I have met online.

Because in the end, my muscles will stiffen and my joints will crack - actually, they already are. In the end, wrinkles will come - they are making their way around my mouth and eyes as I write. I will gasp and wheeze during my cardio workouts - as it turns out, the yoga I've been doing for that past month has increased my flexibility but decreased my stamina.

In the meantime, I vow to never yawn at life. To never allow myself to run out of books to read, prayers to raise, hugs and kisses to share, letters, emails, and blogs to write, or Trader Joe's milk chocolate almond clusters to devour. After all, who can yawn with chocolate in her mouth and her arms wrapped around someone dearly loved?

*********************Disclaimer and explanation: If you click on the "eating well" link, you will be connected with a book called Eat to Live. The description is quite dramatic - something about losing 50 pounds or more. Or losing 20 pounds in 2 or 3 weeks. I am not reading the book with either of those intentions. However, I will say this: the way of eating (not a diet by any means but a new way of eating that is sustainable for your entire life) that the author suggests is radical. Simple and radical at the same time. If you are dissatisfied with the way you feel - not necessarily what you weigh, but the way that you feel with regard to your health, energy, nasal congestion, eating habits, and the like - borrow this book from the library and read it. His approach to food and eating has helped me tremendously with my allergies, sleep pattern, with digestion and elimination.

About Me

If you will allow me, I will quote The Count of Monte Cristo: "I'm a writer, not a saint. I'm imperfect, and so are my writings. These are my spiritual yearnings and tainted expressions of love, hacked as best I can onto thin sheets of wood pulp (or in my case, onto a thin keyboard), in a fallen world, with my flawed perceptions, feelings, desires, and misguided intentions. In a nutshell, this is me; live with it. Don't read this unless you really want to see all of me, even the not-so-pretty parts. But if you really want to know me, keep on reading."